Many color television receivers are currently equipped with circuitry for processing the Vertical Interval Reference (VIR) signal transmitted during line 19 of each vertical interval (frame). In short, the nominal 63.mu. sec VIR signal is comprised of a nominal 24.mu. sec chrominance reference segment, a nominal 12.mu. sec luminance reference segment, and a nominal 12.mu. sec black level reference segment. The VIR signal is so constructed that when the regenerated chrominance subcarrier is properly phased the (R-Y) output of chrominance demodulator during the chrominance segment of the VIR interval will be at a zero reference level, that is, at the black level. Consequently, the (R-Y) output and the black reference can be used in a closed control loop including the subcarrier oscillator to maintain the desired phasing of the oscillator and, hence, desired chrominance tint control. In general, a difference between the amplitude of the R-Y signal and the amplitude of the black reference signal will be detected and used to develop an appropriate tint error correction voltage. According to well-known techniques, this voltage is then applied to the chrominance subcarrier oscillator in a manner that will compensate for phase errors that may have occurred during transmission or signal processing. However, it is axiomatic that the amount of error correction that can be effected depends on the level of error correction signal developed and, hence, on the signal level at the output of the color demodulator. This signal level is established by, inter alia, the RF signal level at the input to the television receiver as well as the gain of the chrominance channel. The chrominance channel typically includes at least one amplifier having a manually or otherwise variable gain control for effecting the viewer-preferred chrominance level (saturation) in the reproduced color image. Accordingly, at low RF input signal levels or at particular settings of the chrominance level control, less than optimum tint error correction may be provided by the VIR sensitive tint control circuitry.